Around this time last year, AMPERS&ONE debuted with the ebullient On And On, setting expectations for a bright, exciting discography. This year’s follow-up Broken Heart swerved in a different direction, muddying those same expectations. That song grew on me a bit but felt like an overall dip in quality. Thankfully, new single He + She = We reignites the energy of their debut.
This fresh, upbeat dance sound has become a boy group trend in 2024. It’s a welcome shift from the shouty bluster of years past, but often threatens to tip into generic territory. At this stage of their career, AMPERS&ONE haven’t yet developed a distinct musical identity, making He + She = We feel as if it could be performed by just about anyone. That’s a strike against the song and something the producers will have to work harder on in the future, but taking that critique out of the equation the track is nothing but upbeat fun.
If I had to think of one adjective to describe this song, it would be “frothy.” It’s like a nice dollop of whipped cream on top of your drink, sugary and satisfying even if it may not stick with you for long. He + She = We‘s brass-kissed instrumental goes down easy and never steps out of place (though perhaps it should?). The guys deliver an equally charming, safe performance. I have dozens (hundreds?) of songs like this in my music collection and will happily add another, but I wish He + She = We found a unique calling card to set it apart from its many competitors.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Quite cute, an improvement from Broken Heart, but not as strong as On And On, but passable.
Rating’s the same.
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Its the obligatory bright theme song that get released at right about this time in their career cycle. Sounds better at 1.05 or 1.1x, a bit perkier.
Intro is in spoken English? Interesting.
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The intro surprised me too! And it’ s a conversation too, not like.. some vague poetic sort of line to add ‘vibes’? Very interesting. It seems pretty natural too – not the acting – but the lines themselves.
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I agree, it’s a bit generic. Still, I’m glad to see them return to this bright sound.
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After all this time, bright boygroup concepts still have my heart – especially this kind of cozybright subgenre (see also Astro’ s Crazy Sexy Cool, Golcha ‘s Pump It Up, and so many Seventeen MVs). I am utterly biased towards it and so it is no surprise that I love this.
I feel like this could have been an early Golcha b-side (yes, I’ve been listening to their albums again, I miss them dearly). It’ s catchy, it’s got enough meat on its bones with some nice melodies and hooks that will stick, and the production is straightforward but warm and cozy and happy. That’ s all I need, I love it.
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I couldn’t agree more!
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